International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 1 September 2003

Chair,

Thank you very much for giving the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies the opportunity to speak during this crucially important debate. It enables us to add further substance to the interventions made by the International Federation during the Fifth Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Population in December 2002. In addition, this Session comes at an important stage in the lead-up to the special debate on HIV/AIDS to be held at the United Nations General Assembly. All these meetings and debates will contribute very valuably to the debates which will take place at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, to be held in Geneva in December 2003.

The International Conference of the Red Cross Red Crescent is held every four years, and brings together as equal partners all States parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The theme of the Conference in December 2003 has been set as "Protecting Human Dignity". The theme has several reference points, but the most important from the perspective of this Session of ESCAP is its objective of obtaining a commitment to a concerted effort to eradicate stigma and discrimination, and to ensure access to prevention and health care services for marginalised populations. Health-related objectives in the proposed Conference Plan of Action envisage all Conference participants committing to protecting human dignity by:

- addressing legal and policy barriers -and underlying societal attitudes- that stigmatize and discriminate against people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) and other highly vulnerable populations;

- providing equitable access to basic prevention, support and health care to all people, including displaced people and other marginalized groups such as prisoners and detainees

Chair,

The International Federation is using its capacity as an international organisation to approach these issues in intergovernmental fora in advance of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Conference because there is a clear need for many governments to reassess the way they are working in the face of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

There is a need, for instance, for governments to recognise and accept that if they are to make a meaningful difference there are some steps they must take. They will not always be popular, for in many cases policies need to be adopted which will turn around widely-held attitudes and elements of societal behaviour.

The fact is that policies which intentionally or unintentionally drive vulnerable populations living with HIV/AIDS to the margins and into the shadows usually contribute a public health disaster. The pandemic cannot be successfully addressed without addressing the stigmatisation and marginalisation of these populations and people, and we call on all governments to adopt policies consistent with the need to bring the issues into the open and address them clearly and without discrimination of any kind.

One example of the need for clarity and openness is in the area of combating the spread of the pandemic. The International Federation is committed to a scientific approach to this task, and the science is clear and strong: the 'harm reduction approach' works. But there are many questions in the minds of lawmakers and officials in many countries, questions often based on out-of-date attitudes or even ignorance of the science. The International Federation is using its resources, including those available from the members and volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, to disseminate information on the science. It is our hope that Governments will join us in accepting the challenge of educating and informing lawmakers and others responsible for policy development and implementation. The objective in all countries should be the enactment and implementation of legislation and standards that will address these challenges.

The Asia-Pacific region's HIV/AIDS response must also give the highest priority to improving the treatment of injecting drug users. In some countries, governments have sponsored programs which actually create stigma in the belief that this will discourage drug use. Nothing could be further from the truth, and on the contrary these programs actually undermine social cohesion and put tremendous pressure on only those who are the victims of the illicit drug industry. The social climate created also makes life very hard for those living with HIV, and this hardship in turn maximises the spread of HIV/AIDS.

All of this, of course, raises a basic humanitarian question: how can it be socially acceptable to respond to people who are ill with systematic rejection, imprisonment, cruelty and violence? As a humanitarian organisation, the International Federation is compelled to spotlight this inhumanity and seek in its place policies based around the need for effective treatment and humane care.

All States currently have the opportunity to work with Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies to reduce HIV related stigma and discrimination using the Federation's campaign 'The Truth About AIDS?. Pass it on.' This campaign is participatory: 'Pass it on' means talking about HIV and AIDS; passing on what you know to those you love, and to those whose marginalisation makes them vulnerable. The campaign seeks to eradicate the ignorance that fuels fear and exclusion. All leaders need to be seen publicly standing by people living with HIV/AIDS, and to settle down the hysteria and intolerance. We are very pleased with the way the campaign is now being used in many countries all around the world, and trust that it will be accepted as the basis for campaigning everywhere in the Asia-Pacific region as well.

It is imperative that we take up this task in the Asia-Pacific region immediately. Words are not enough - action is required for otherwise this region will plunge into the disaster now faced in many parts of Africa. At stake is survival, not only of individuals and communities, but there is a clear and distinct threat to the stability and survival of States and their structures. This is not an issue of the future, for a disaster of these proportions must be addressed today.

In addressing the issues, we must be prepared to step out of denial, and recognise that issues which are not commonly voiced need to become part of ordinary human discussion. A practical example of what we must face is learning how to talk about sexual transmission of HIV. Despite what is sometimes said, it is possible to do this in all cultures, indeed it is the mark of a living and dynamic culture that it can adapt to ensure survival. We must explore the richness of each culture to find the ways.

For example, in Myanmar one organisation is using traditional proverbs as the way to open the discussion about sexual relationships. Proverbs like "Pots placed together will touch each other, and ropes placed together will get entangled". In India, the Parliamentarians & AIDS group is a working demonstration of leaders working together to find solutions. The problem is very deep, and also affects the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement profoundly: One of the International Federation's Vice-Presidents is from India, and he has shared with us in the Red Cross Society the issues being dealt with by his colleagues in the Federation Governing Board from Africa where there are many staff and volunteers living with HIV in their National Society. The response has been to set up a fund to provide ARV treatment to these people, so Red Cross & Red Crescent capacity is not lost again and again.

This issue of the capacity drain is important to us all, and part of the illustration of the threat to our institutions, communities and structures which the pandemic presents.

Chair,

The world and its communities are growing impatient with grand but empty promises. Much has been said over the last 20 years, but too little effective work has actually been done. One of the tasks which should be advanced by meetings like this Session of ESCAP should be active support for the objective of delivering a comprehensive response to the major communicable disease threats now facing the planet: AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The International Federation believes that a strong vehicle for taking forward the struggle against these diseases is the Global Fund to fight AIDS TB and Malaria (GFATM). Experience so far shows that for a relatively small investment, much can be done, and much more hope and motivation can be provided. The GFATM is, however, an example of the fickle nature of governments: launched with high profile, but now starved of funds.

We call on governments to accept their responsibilities, to their people and to their countries, and scale up their efforts. We stand ready to work with you as we do this: the International Federation and its member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have scaled up their own efforts by ten times since 1999, but even so our capacity is still nowhere near fully utilised.

Work together, work with other partners, work with us, and we have a chance of making a difference. And, as an integral part of your work, Pass on the Truth".

Thank you

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